Thursday, October 06, 2011

Next Stop Reykjavik

Twice in one day. It's either feast or famine around here, isn't it? Not, come to think of it, that two brief posts constitute a feast.

Not unless you're one of the two French women at the next table, here in the Food Court at the Boston Logan International Terminal. They are having quite a heated conversation about how all the options here are too much, too much! They haven't mentioned liver attacks yet, but they're French, so it should come around any minute.

I happen to agree with them. It's too much, and it's disgusting. What passes for decent food in an Airport–any airport I've been through, even outside the United State–would be considered slop for half the price in the land outside the runways. I settled on Chinese food, like the two French women. They are splitting a single entrée, a bottle of water, and a cup of rice. They might consider these two entries a feast.

Notice how I finally remembered where I was going with that?

Oh, and the hat. I finished the hat, aside from weaving in the ends. I wound up just doing an asymmetrical garter-stitch brim. Here's a picture.

I hope you noticed the cleaning lady in the background, asking herself, "What in the Hell is he doing?" You work at an airport, honey. This cannot possibly be the weirdest thing you've seen today.

Maybe I should leave the needle in, and tell people who ask that it's an antenna. Better yet, leave the needle in and tell that to everyone, even if they don't ask. I bet I could get three seats all to myself.

Fine, it's not going to win any design awards, but it'll keep my flipping ears warm. It's also my first top-down hat, and it's a method I'll be delighted to repeat.

I could fuss with the brim some more, but I have to move on to the next project.

Because I forgot to pack a scarf.

PS They just said it! Crise de foie! I feel like I should yell, "Bingo!"

Did I remember to tell you to spend your first day blobbing at the Blue Lagoon? If I did, then you can also just spend it in one of the sundlaugar in town. Sit in a heitur pottur, have a shvitz in the steam room, maybe swim a few laps in the pool. And just relax that time change away.

The crise de foie nugget was not my first chuckle today, but I appreciated it nonetheless. Hope your hat is warm and you get the scarf finished in time! You might consider a neckwarmer if time is running short...

As to weird things you see in airports...I'm sure the people in the Premiere Lounge at Heathrow have rarely seen someone knit 2-at-a-time socks. Or stop to try them on to see if they’re long enough to start the toe decreases. The bartender brought me another G&T just to get a closer look.

Mahvahlous hat!!! Leave the needles in so mostly the clear wire shows and tell people in a hushed voice, "It's for draining fluids." That'll get 'em! Pick up some Istex Lodband Einband. I'm loving the beautiful stashlette my friend brought back last year. Have so much fun!

Oh, have fun in Iceland -- I loved our trip there. If you haven't finished the scarf go straight to the blue lagoon and finish knitting it in there. It'll get wet as you knit but that will just make it all the more ready for blocking when you are done. With all the hand knit inspiration I can't wait to see what you'll knit on the trip home!

Next time you come to London, fly British Airways; Heathrow terminal 5 has a Carluccio's. Carluccio's serves entirely decent food. Oh, I've just thought of one other exception: South African airports (both Joburg and Cape Town) have quite a selection of good food these days. Hurrah, go to Cape Town.

Oh you will ADORE Iceland! There are sheep and small horses everywhere! And people grow grass on their house roof! And the big SUVs that are jacked up really NEED to be able to ford glacial rivers! And the people...oh, the people are all tall, blonde and very nice.

I've run around town in a scarf that had needles attached to it. It was ALMOST long enough, and I thought I would have finished it at lunch but didn't. I threw the attached ball of yarn into my coat pocket and ran errands. It was below 0, I wasn't NOT going to wear a scarf...

If I had known you were going to Iceland I would have sent this sooner: try to find and read Lord Dufferin's Letters from High Latitudes. It's quite fun and was spoofed by his mother who wrote Lispings from Low Latitudes. Have fun!

The New Orleans airport, pre-Katrina, used to have the best food in the country, at least according to assorted pilots we stood in line with for fresh-made muffalettas and other assorted yummies. Alas, it's now the same nasty stuff as anywhere else; all the best cooks fled and never returned. Have a wonderful time in Iceland -- it must be heaven for a knitter!

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